U.S. Bus Travelers Prioritize Sun and Snow: Busbud Data Reveals Miami, Orlando, and Montreal are the Top 2026 Destinations

Looking ahead, while New York City remains a central origin point, the top three most searched destinations on Busbud for 2026 are already showing a decisive tilt toward warmer climates and international travel: Miami, Orlando, and Montreal, Canada . This trend suggests U.S. travelers are actively seeking vacation spots and accessible cross-border experiences.

Throughout 2025, the busiest hubs in the U.S. from both an origin and destination standpoint were New York, Orlando, and Miami .

• Top 3 Busiest U.S. Hubs (2025): New York, Orlando, and Miami.
• Top 3 Cross-Border Destinations (2025): Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto.
• Top 3 Most Searched Destinations for 2026: Miami, Orlando, and Montreal.

"The American bus traveler is consistently demonstrating a preference for both high-value domestic connections and accessible international exploration," said LP Maurice, CEO and Co-founder of Busbud . "The enduring popularity of Canadian destinations like Montreal, alongside the surge in searches for Miami and Orlando, confirms that the bus network is a critical tool for reaching both leisure hot spots and key cross-border destinations. It underscores the bus's role as an affordable and reliable way to begin a major journey, whether to the beaches or beyond the border."

According to Busbud, the countries leading the global bus ticket sales were Chile, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, reflecting the high volume and importance of intercity bus travel across the Americas and Africa. European demand was also robust, with Spain (6th), the UK (7th), and France (8th) driving significant ticket sales, while Portugal and Argentina rounded out the top ten.

Holiday Travel Trends: Christmas and New Year's

Busbud's report also highlights specific behavior for the upcoming festive season, showing distinct patterns for Christmas and New Year's Eve:

• Top Destinations: The three major hubs - New York, Orlando, and Miami - will be the busiest destinations for both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
• New Year's Surge: For New Year's Eve, Seattle joins the list as one of the busiest hubs, indicating thousands of passengers are taking a final ride of the year from the Pacific Northwest to ring in 2026.
• Long-Distance Travel: U.S. travelers take some of the longest bus trips on Christmas Eve globally. At an average of 202.5 miles per trip on December 24, 2025, the U.S. is the third country globally for the longest average journey length (after South Africa at 425 miles and Brazil at 249 miles). However, this distance is a reduction from the 210 miles average registered in 2024.

Santa's Metropolitan Dash: New Campaign Highlights Reliability

The report released by the Canadian company is part of the launch of a global storytelling campaign centered around the humorous and heartwarming theme: "Santa's Sleigh Broke Down… So He Took the Bus." This campaign aims to showcase the reliability and warmth of bus travel.

Specifically for the U.S. market, the accompanying video creative shows Santa struggling with his broken sleigh in Manhattan . Faced with the impossible task of hailing a taxi during rush hour to distribute all his presents, Santa chooses the bus as the superior, reliable, and hassle-free option to complete his cross-country deliveries. This creative is part of the "Santa's Cross-Country Challenge" data visualization running in 10 different countries.

Busbud is the leading global mobility group that operates marketplaces focused on ground travel, where travelers can book intercity bus and train tickets on over 3 million routes in 80+ countries worldwide. The company is dedicated to connecting travelers with affordable, sustainable, and accessible transportation options, empowering people to explore the world with ease.

SOURCE Busbud